Harness-saddle



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. M. E. ZELLER.

HARNESS SADDLE.

No. 360,191. Patented Mar.29,1887.

N PETERS. PhMO-Llfllogmpher. Washingkm. D. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- M. E. ZELLER.

HARNESS SADDLE. No. 360,191 Patented M31229, 1887.

v ferred to with the jointed pad-plates, which EINTTED STATES PATENT Oriana.

MELANOTHON E. ZELLER, OF BLUFFTON, OHIO.

, HARNESS- SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,191, dated March 29, 1887.

Application filed October 7, 1886.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELAXOTHON E. ZELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing atBluffton, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pads, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in harness-saddles; and it consists of the peculiar combination and novel construction and arrangement of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved harness-saddle of the class known to the art as self-adj usting saddles, which shall be so constructed and arranged that the pads thereof shall be effectively prevented from wrinkling at the point where they come in contact with the animal, which is a serious objection to the saddles of ordinary construction, as the wrinkles in the pads chafe and gall the animal.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved saddle of the class above reshall be capable of a limited upward movement to prevent the pads and the several parts of the saddle from being unduly strained, and of an unlimited downward movement to adapt the saddle to readily accommodate itself to horses of different sizes and shapes, as it is essential in a device of this class that it shall perfectly fit the backs of horses which have become misshapen either from a natural cause or an accident; and, finally, the object of my invention is to improve the parts of the saddle in minor details,so thatit shall possess superior advantages over all others of its class in points of simplicity, strength, and durability of construction, cheapness of manufacture, and neat ness of finish.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a harness-saddle embodying my present improvements, Figure l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig.3 is an enlarged perspective view of one form of the central eonnecting-yoke detached from the saddle. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of another form of the yoke,

Serial No. 215,567. (X0 model.)

also detached from the saddle. Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the pad plates or wings of the saddle detached from the latter. Fig. 6 is another plan view taken from the reverse or bottom side of the pad-plate, and Fig. 7 is a detached detail view in side elevation of a modified form of one end of a pad-plate to be used in connection with the yoke shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, A B desi nate the pads of my improved harness-saddle, which are of the common well-known form. These pads diverge laterally from each other, and they terminate at their upper approximate ends at points a, and the leather inclosingi jackets of the pads meet and overlap each other at the center of the saddle, as at a. The

said lapped meeting ends of the pads are covered and protected by means of astrip or flap, B, of leather, to re-cnforce them and permit the pads to yield or give laterally to each other, and thus adapt them to fit and accommodate themselves to animals of different sizes and shapes.

The meeting lapped ends of the leather jackets of the pads are reduced very materially in thickness as compared with the thickness of the terminal ends a of the pads, and the reenforeing flap B is designed to protect the backbone of the animal.

0 designates a strap or band of leather, which is fitted on the outer exposed sides of the expansiblc pads A B, and this strap or band is bent or curved at its middle and conforms to the shape of the pads with relation to each other to partially conceal the pads and impart a neater finish to the saddle, which is very desirable.

D designates the connecting-yoke, which is fitted immediately over the center of the saddle, at the point where the inner ends of the pads meet and are connected together. This central connecting-yoke comprises a longitudinally-curved body or plate, (Z, the hooks d at each of the corners of the plate, and the depending ribs d", which are arranged on the under side of the plate or body in rear, of the hooks d thereof and in line therewith. The plate or body, together with its hooks and ribs, are cast or formed in a single piece of metal, and the plate is provided at its middle with a transverse vertical aperture or opening, through which passes the exteriorly-threaded shank e of the hook E for the check-rein,which hook is of the ordinary or any preferred pattern, and is rigidly and securely connected to the plate or body of the yoke by means of a nut, e,which screws upon the threaded shank e and bears against the lower concealed surface of the body or plate of the yoke, as will be very readily understood.

The hooks d of the yoke depend downwardly therefrom, and the inner curved sides thereof join or are merged into the curved sides of the lips or lugs d in line with the hooks, and one pair each of these depending curved hooks is arranged at each end of the yoke to. form the bearings for and receive the trunnions f of the upper extremities of the pad-plates E. These pad-plates are arranged to bear or impinge upon the outer exposed side of the strap or band C, and they are jointed or pivotally connected at their upper extremities to the central connecting-yoke in line with or immediatelyopposite the upper terminal ends, a, of the pads, as indicated by the dotted lines y in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. By thus flexibly connecting the upper extremities of the pad-plates in line with the upper and terminal ends of the pads the liability of the leather jacket of the pads to wrinkle is obviated,which is a very decided advantage over pads of the common construction, which chafe and gall the animals back and cause it to become sore, and thereby render the animal unfit for service.

I am aware of the harness-saddle tree shown in Patent No. 155,616, in which a central yoke is employed, and to which the pad-plates are hinged or jointed; but the joint in this particular device is arranged at a point considerably beneath the upper terminal end of the pad of the saddle, so that when the pads are separated or moved upwardly the upper ends of the padplates bear upon the pads beneath the terminal end thereof and cause the same to soon become wrinkled, which chafes and galls the animals back. I overcome and avoid this objection in my improved harness-saddle by arranging the pivot of the pad-plates in line with the terminal upper end of the pads and transversely of the saddle, so that the point where the pads and their plates are moved or tnrned,.as upon a pivot, in expanding or contracting the saddle to fit animals of different sizes, are in close proximity to each.

other, and they each describe an arc of sub stantially the same radius.

The body of the pad-plates is provided at one end withareduced tongue, fflthat is formed integral therewith, and from opposite sides of the forward extremity of this tongue project the trunnionsf, which serve to pivotally connect the plate to the central yoke. The tongue of one of the pad-plates fits between one pair of the hooks at one end of the yoke, and the trunnions thereof are fitted in the hooks of the yoke and are free toturn or move therein to pivotally connect the padplate to the yoke. When the pad and its plate are elevated or forced upwardly for a certain distance, the upper extremity of the tongue of the plate comes in contact with one end of the yoke, and the upward movement of the pad and plate is thereby limited to prevent undue straining of the joint of thepads and displacement thereof; but the downward movement of the pads and their plates is unlimited, as there are no devices to limit orprevent the 'pads from coming in contact with each other.

The pads can thus be depressed or moved toward each other any desired distance to accommo'date themselves to animals of different sizes and shapes, which is avery essential feature of a device of this class.

The pad-plates are each provided with a transverse opening, 9, near its lower extremity, through which passes the threaded shank of the terret G. One of these terrets is provided for each pad and plate, and the shank thereof also-passes through the band or strip 0 andintoathreadedsocketinthepad. Thepad plates are further provided at opposite sides of their lower extremities with vertical flanges or ribs H, which are arranged parallel with each other, and they are connected by transverse bars I J, which are arranged on opposite sides of the flanges or ribs, the connecting-bar being arranged on the upper side of the flanges and at the middle thereof, and the bar I being arranged on the lower side of the rib g, and at the lower extremities thereof.

A- lug, K, projects from the lower extremity of the body of the pad-plate, which is elevated, as at k, and this lug is arranged at the center of the said body and between the parallel vertical ribs or flanges H, the lower under side of the lug having a depending stud or post, k, which enters an aperture, Z, formed in the upper end of a finishing-strap, L, which is fitted between the parallel side ribs, H, and the transverse bars I J. The middle transverse openings in the straps O L and screws into a threaded socket affixed in the pad. It will be seen that the pad-plates are very securely connected to the pads by means of the terrets and screws, while at the same time they are free to have a limited upward movement and an unlimited downward movement, and the finishing-straps are also securely held in place on the pads and beneath their plates by the same terrets and screws.

In the modification shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 of the drawings the yoke is provided with integral lugsn, which are arranged parallel with each other and connected by an integral cross-bar, a, and the upper ends of the pad-plates are each formed into a hook, a which takes over the connecting-bar n, and serves to pivotally connect the plate to the yoke in the same manner as shown in Figs. 1,

2,4, and 5, and permits the pads and yoke -between the yoke and pad-plate to protect the said joint and at the same time form a neat finish to the yoke, the under side of the free edge of the guard-plate being recessed or cut away to permit the tongue of the pad-plate to have the necessary play or movementtherein.

The pad-plateand its several ribs and flanges are cast in a single piece of metal for strength, simplicity, and durability.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a. harness-saddle, the pads having the reduced upper ends connected and lapped by an intermediate device, and terminating at points a short distance from each other at a, a central yoke arranged within the terminal ends of the pads, and the pad-plates rigidly connected to the pads and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the central yoke, the pivots of the pad-plates being in line with the terminal ends of the pads, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a harness-saddle, the combination of a central connecting-yoke, the pads terminating at their upper ends at points beneath the ends of the yoke, and the pad-plates rigidly affixed to the pads and pivotally connected to the ends of the yoke, the pivots of the pad-plates being substantially in line with the terminal ends of the pads and constructed to permit the plates and their attached pads to have a limited upward movement and an unlimited downward movement, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a harness-saddle, the combination of the pads, the pad-plates rigidly affixed to the pads, and a central yoke intermediate of the plates, and to which the upper ends thereof are pivotally connected, the said yoke having a fixed guard, N, at each end, which extends above and over the joint between the yoke and the plate, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ME LANOTHON E. ZELLER.

XVitnesses:

S. O. EDMoNDs, J os. R. Enson. 

